US1521574A - Controlling means for fabric cages for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

A. M. PIGEON CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FABRIC CAGES FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 5, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG? 1 fl 5o II F I A w 2 Q) I; a

v *Z'l 'Qli 12* MM i y Imwwbor fllfiarlfiif'yeqm- Dec. 30. 1924.

1,521,574 A. M. PIGEON CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FABRIC GAGES FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 6, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 nee, 30. 1924. 1,521,574

A. M. PIGEON CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FABRIC CAGES FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 6, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet Z Sig 6 4,// m fllbarfimPig wn, 'wzesm v fiillllll'll mum A. M. PIGEON CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FABRIC CAGES FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 6, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGi H I I In LI II if j} Z 10 E 1 V l 2 Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

ALBERT M. PIGEON, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO WILDMAN MFG.

00., OF NO'RRISTOWN,

PENNSYLVANIA, A coarorwrroN or rENNs LvANm.

'ooN'rnoLmNe MEANS non FABRIC cases non KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed April 8, 1918. Serial No. 227,029.

[0 all whom it may concemr:

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. PIGEON,

a citizen of the United States, residing in and partly Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Meansfor Fabric Cages for Knitting Machines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accomp anying drawings.

The invention relates more particularly to knitting machines of the rotary needle cylinder type, whereinthe cylinder may be rotated for circular knitting or oscillated at certain intervals for knitting the-heel and,

toe pockets of the stocking. 7

Prior to my invention, machines of the above type have been provided with a fabric-supporting cage fabric, and means have also been provided for rotating the cage in unison with the needle cylinder and for suspending the rotations of the fabric supporting cage during oscillating knitting.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for disconnecting and connecting the fabri'c cage, from its rotating mechanism which means is so controlled as to cause disconnection of the fabric cage after the phase of oscillating movement 0 the needle cylinder begins, and reconnection just before the phase of rotative movement of the needle cylinder is resumed, so. that the rotative movement of the cage itself may be started with little or no shock and that p strain and wear of the operative parts may thus be minimized.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration, one embodiment of the inven-' tion, Fig;- I, is a perspective view of a portion of a knitting machine having my improved fabric cage controlling means applied thereto." I

Fig. II. is a view partly in side elevation in section showing onetype of mechanism for rotating and oscillating the needle cylinder; and for shifting from roration to oscillation, and also showing the means for controlling the movements of the fabric supporting cage.

Fig. III, is a sectional view on the line III- III. of Fig. II.

Fig. IV, is a vertical sectional view from the upper part of the fabric cage through the supporting frame,

which receives the knit w and the lower part 'bf the needle cylinder, showingthe means. for connecting the fabric supporting cage to the needle cylinder. 7

Fig. V, is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the machine, and centrally through the main shaft.

Fig. VI, is a detail showing the operating pawl for the clutch shifting drum and 'co n .trolling means therefor.

' Fig. VII, is a view showing more or less diagrammatically in full lines the position of the parts as the needle cylinder ends its rotating movements, and is about to begin its oscillating movements, and in dotted lines the shifting positions of the controlling cam which releases the fabric supporting case from the needle cylinder.

Fig. VIII, is a detail view in side elevation of certain parts illustrated in Fig. VII,

showing corresponding positions in full and dotted lines.

Figs. IX and X, are views similar to Figs.

VII and VIII, but showing ca released from its rotating mechanism, an the parts positioned at the end of the last complete oscillation of the needle cylinder just prior to the shifting of the clutch for the be inning of the rotation of the needle cylin er, and also showing in dotted lines the shiftf ing of the controlling cam for connecting and disconnectin the fabric supporting cage with the use le cylinder.

Fig. XI, is a view showing in plan, the details of the pivotal mounting for the cam late by which the fabric receiving cage is automatically disconnected during oscillatoiiyknitting.

have shown my invention as applied to a knittin wherein t e needle cylinder is rotated for circular knitting and is oscillated at certain intervals for knitting the heel and toe parts machine of the circular type,

of a stocking. As is usual in this type of machines, theoscillations of the needle cylinder are efiected through reducing gearing,

. the needle cylinder through a connecting pin, carried by the "needle cylinder and coupled with the fabric supporting ca e. The coupling means includes a shiftable plate, which may be moved so as to disconnect the cage from said pin. My im- -'so that the cylinder is traveling slower durprovement is directed particularly to the controllin means for shifting this plate, so as to e ect a connection or disconnection between the fabric supporting cage and the pin on the needle cylinder. This controllin .means includes a cam plate which is shifte .der after the first oscillation of the needle cylinder begins, and preferably. just at the end of the stroke of the first oscillation.

This brings about the disconnection of the fabric cage from the operating means on the needle cylinder not only during the slow travel of the needle cylinder, as. occurs in oscillating knittin but at the end of the oscillation, so that t e fabric cage is stopped with little or no shock whereby breakage or wear of the parts is prevented.

The time of the shifting of the cam plate is also so controlled as to connect the fabric supporting cage with the pin on the needle cylinder during the last oscillation of the needle cylinder, and before the clutch is shifted to cause the needle cylinder and tate and travel at 'a higher s eed than when oscillating. Therefore, again, I am able to connect the fabric supporting cage to this moving art of the needle cylinder withlittle or no ock.

Referring more. in detail t6 the drawings, 1

I have shown my invention as applied to a knitting machine having a supporting frame 1, in which is mounted a main shaft'2,

driven by a belt wheel 3. main shaft 2, is, as herein shown, in the" form offa sleeve rotating about an inner shaft 2. "The needle. cylinder .is indicated at 4, in the drawin and is mounted to rotate on a supporting shelf 5, carried by the frame. 1. At the lower end of the needle cylinder is a gear wheel 6, which is fixed to the needle 0 linder. The gear wheel 6, meshes with t e gear wheel 7, mounted on a short vertical shaft-8, carried by the supportingframe 1.

1 Attached to this vertical shaft 8, is a bevel geart), which meshes with a bevel gear 10, loosely-mountedon the inner shaft 2. The bevel gear 10,'is carried by a sleeve 11, provided with a'shifting clutch pin 12. When the clutch pin .is in. the position shown in Fig. V, it engagesthe sleeve which has been referred to as the mainv shaft" 2. As the main shaft, therefore, rotates, the bevel gear 10, will be rotated and this through the train of means described will rotate the needle cylinder.

Mounted to rotate loosely on the inner shaft 2 is a gear 13. This gear is adapted to be engaged by the clutch pin 12, when These shifting means shifting finger is fixed to a shaft 35.

meshes with a se mental gear 14, mounted to swing about a s aft- 15, as a center. This segmental gear 14, is actuated by a link 16, connected with a-crank 17, on a gear 18. The gear 18, meshes with a pinion 20, attached to the main sleeve shaft 2. As this main shaft 2, rotates, the pinion 20, will rotate the gear 18, and this will oscillate the segmental gearl i, which will in turn oscillate the gear 13, and as this gear is now clutched with the bevel gear 10, the needle cylinder will be oscillated. Inasmuch as the gear 18, is large in diameter relative to the pinion 20, the travel of the needle cylinder during oscillation will be much slower than the travel of the cylinder during rotation. The clutch pin 12,'is attached to a sleeve 21, and this sleeve is shifted to the right or to the left .by a clutch lever 22. The clutch lever 22, is fulcrumed at 23, on the main frame, and is oscillated by a clutch shifting drum 24. This clutch shifting drum 24. as shown in Fig. I, of the drawings is provided with a cam groove 25. The lower end of the lever 22, is provided with a pin 26, which runs in this cam groove 25. The cam groove is shaped so as to operate the lever, and so as to shift the clutch pin. 12, to cause it to engage directly the main sleeve shaft 2, or to engage the gear 13. The clutch shifting drum 24, is moved at times by a pattern controlled mechanism. Said drum is formed with ratchet teeth 27 Mounted on the segmental gear 14, is a pawl 28. (Jo-operating with this pawl 28, is a controlling plate 29, which is pivoted to an arm 30, mounted to turn about the shaft 31, on which the clutch shifting drum is carried. A spring 32, normally moves this plate 29, forward, so that, the ratchet teeth27, are covered, and the pawl.28 plays back-and forth on this plate.

The arm30, is. shifted by a controlling finger 33, which ifs-adapted to engage :1 lug 34, formed integrally with the arm 30. This Also carried by the shaft 35, is an arm 36, which has a nose 37, lying in the path of pattern lugs 38*, carried by a pattern chain 39. This pattern chain is moved by suitable mechanism, and when the pattern lug 38. engages the nose 37, it forces the arm 36. to the right as viewed in Fig.1l, and this will turn the shaft 35, moving the finger 33, so as to draw the arm 30, downward and withdraw the plate 29, from beneath the pawl 28. as shown in Fig. VI, so that the next forward movement of the pawl 28. will turn the drum. The above described means for rotating and'oscillating the cylinder and for shifting the clutch lever forms no part of the present invention, per se, but is shown. described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 633.938. filed June 19, 1911,

lit)

lilo

and issued May 14, 1918 as Patent No. 1,266,044.

Mounted directly beneath the supporting shelf 5, which carries the needle cylinder 4,

is a fabric supporting cage F. This fabric supporting cage is carried by a bracket arm 40, and the upper endof the fabric supporting cage is guided by the shelf 5, so that said fabric supporting cage may rotate freely directly beneath the needle cylinder. Said fabric supporting cage is provided with fabric take-up rolls 41, which may be of theusual construction. Carried by the needle cylinder 4, and projecting downwardly therefrom is a pin 42. Said fabric supporting cage is provided with a spring plate 43, the upper end of whichis bent at right angles to the body portion of the plate, and is provided with a recess 44, of sufiicient size to receive the pin 42, and thus connect the fabric supporting cage to the needle cylin der. when the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. III, IV, and VII, of the drawings. The plate43, is cut away at 45, to form a cam surface so that the pin 42, riding on this cam surface,'may force the plate back and snap into the recess 44. This late 43, is bent so that its lower end (not sli'own) may be rigidly secured to the wall of the fabric supporting cage. A pin 47, is fixed to the plate 43, near its upper end. This pin 47, extends outwardly through an opening in the sidewall of the fabric supporting cage.

4 By pressing the outervend of this pin 47, the a plate may be shifted, so that the upper end thereof is entirely back from the path of movement of the pin 42. When, however,

the pin 47, is released, the plate 43, which is of spring metal, will at once move back in a'position so asto engage the pin 42.

When the parts are positioned so that the pin 42, is engaged bythis plate 43, then the fabric supporting cage F, will rotate son with the needle cylinder.

in uni- As a means for disconnecting this plate 43, from the pin 42, I have provided a cam plate 48. This cam plate 48, is pivoted at 49, to a bracket 50, adjustably secured to the upper end of the clutch shifting lever; 22, by screws 51. A rod 52,'is pivoted at 53, to the cam controlling plate 48. This, rod 52,

extends freely down through the opening in the outer end of an arm 54. which is fixed to the shaft 35, and moves up and down as the arm 36. moves back and forth. An adjustable collar 55. is secured to the lower end of the rod 52. This connection as clearly shown in Fig. II. provides for a slight lost motion between the arm 54, and the rod' 52, which permits the stepping around of the clutch drum by the short pattern lugs on the chain.

When, however, a long pattern liig on the 'chain 39. passes underneath the nose 37. of

the arm 36, then the throw of the arm 54, is sufiieient to pull down the rod 52, and move 'plate 43, and said fabric supportin the controlling cam plate 48, to the position shown in dotted lines Figs. II, and X. This controlling cam plate 48, bein mounted on the clutch lever 22, is also shi ted with the clutch lever, and moved toward and from the fabric supporting cage. When the clutch lever is shifted to the left, as viewed in Fig. I, then the parts are connected so as tojcause the needle cylinder to oscillate, and this movesthe controlling cam plate 48, close to the fabric supporting cage, so that it will engage the pin 47 provided said cam plate 48, .is inraisedposition as shown in Fig. II.

to the dotted line position shown in this fig ure, then the pin 47 is above the plate, and would not be engaged-thereby. The cam plate is normally held in raised position by a spring 48", see Fig.- XI. The upward movement of the cam plate is limited by a stop 56.

Referring to Figs. VII, and IXQ I liave shown diagrammatically I the pin on the needle cylinder which rotates the fabric supporting cage, the plate 43, which engages this pin, and the controlling cam plate. Let us assume that the )arts are positi onedso If, however, this'cam plate 48, is depressed 1 so that the needle cylin eris rotating,"then' the position shown .inFig. VIII. The pattern 5 chain dwells at this oint for one rotation of the main shaft an during this dwell, the plate 29, is retracted so as to permit the pawl 28, to engage the clutch drum and move it forward to shift the lever 22, and thus connect the parts for the oscillation of the needle cylinder; During one rotation of the shaft the plate 29, is withdrawn, and during the next rotation the pawl' 28, moves forward to move the clutch shifting drum for shifting the clutch. When, however, the clutch shiftlli) ing drum moves forward to shift the clutch,

then the pattern chain moves forward, carrying the long pattern lug out from underneath the'end of the nose 37,"and this re-' leases the rod. 52. so that the cam is raised to full line position. The ever 22, as it shifts the clutch also brings this cam plate 48. into the dotted line position shown in Fig. VII, that is, into the path of movement of the pin 47. At this time when the clutch shifting drum moves to shift the clutch lever 22. the pin on the needle cylinder is substantially at the point indicated in Fig.

late 48,

&

VII. The'movements of the needle cylinder cease,'and the oscillation of the needle cylinder begins, said cylinder starting from the point indicated in this Fig. VII, and moving in a counterclockwise direction. As the c linder moves on its first oscillating stroke, tlie pin 47, will engage the cam plate 48, as shown in Fig. IX, of the drawing, and this will move the plate 43, back, releasing the same from the pin on the needle cylinder.

. It will be noted from the above that the resaid needle cylinder is traveling stationary, avoids shock an the conseuent wear and breakageQ When the ma-' 0 inc reaches a point wherein it passes auto- -matically from oscillating knitting to round and round knitting, the fabric supporting page is again connected up to the needle cyler, but this connection of the fabric supporting cage to the needle cylinder occurs before the needle cylinder is clutched to the operating gears for rotation. The pin 47, is held pressed inwardly by the cam plate 48 as long as said cam plate remains in the full line positionshown in Fig IX. The

long attern lug 38, .moves the arm 36, and

then wells as above noted. It is this motion of the arm 36, which shifts the rod 52, and moves the cam controlling plate 48, to the dotted line position shown in Fi s. H, and X. The shifting of thiscam p ate 48, to the dotted line position releases the pin 47, and this occurs before the clutch lever 22, is shifted to cause the cylinder to rotate, for the reason that it is during the next oscillation of the segmental gear that the clutch controlling drum is moved, to shift the clutch. The needle cylinder is traveling on its last oscillation in a counterclockwisedirection, when the plate 43, is released, and the pin 42, riding up on the cam surface 45, will snap into the recess The needle cylinder then moves in a clockwise direction, and the clutch is shifted at a point indicated in Fig. IX, of the drawings, so that the cylinder thenat once b 'ns its rotating motion. In other words, t e pin 42, is connected with the fabric supporting cage during the actualoscillating movement, or at the end of an oscillating stroke of the'cylinder, and before it begins the relatively rapid travel characteristic of the rotative phase of operation, and, therefore, this connecting of the fabric supporting cage to the needle cylways the same.

inder is brought about with little or no shock and consequent breakage or wearof the parts.

It is understood of course that the mechanism'shown in detail in the drawings may be modified and the time varied, the essential feature being the connecting :of the fabric supporting cage in operative relation to the needle cyhndenand its disconnection therefrom, at times when the needlecylinder is on its phase of oscillating movement and, therefore traveling sl0wly, whereby the desirable resu ts above stated are attained.

I am aware that it has heretofore been suggested that the fabric cage or. web receiver, or parts'carryingthe same be disconnected from the cylinder during reciprocating movements of the latter; but, in the mechanism suggested for accomplishing this purpose the mode of operation is such that the disconnection takes place while the machine or. cylinder and the fabric cage are both at rest. The present invention is in contrast with this mode of operation in that I contemplate effecting the connection or disconnection while'the cylinder and fabric cage'are both in motion and traveling coincidentally and always during an oscillatin phase and never during a rotating phase.

11 addition to the advantage previously pointed out of avoiding shock to and wear III of the parts it will be remembered that when changing from rotary to reciprocating knitting the cage is carried back over the first period of reciprocation before the disconnection is efiected, and the disconnection then takes place just before the end of this period. As a result the momentumof the cage, subsequent to disconnection carries it to the point where the pin 47 engages the stop 56 thus bringing the cage to rest. The point of arrest of the cage will thus be al- If thedisconnection were not made while the cylinder and cage were in motion but instead was timed'to take place exactly at the moment when the pin engaged the stop a shock to the parts could not be avoided. With respectto the point in the operation of the machine when the chan e 1s made from reciprocating to rotary nitting the connection between the cylinder and cage is effected while the cylinder is in motion and passing from a reciprocating phase into continuous rotary motion, without stopping the cylinder. This re sults in an advanta e in that no time is lost in bringin the cy inder to complete rest. There is little shock incidental to setting the cage in motion at this period since the cylinder is slowed down at the end of its last reciprocation andv While slowing down the connection is made without entirely stoppin the cylinder, the latter, immediately a ter the connection is made picking up speed for its rotary motion.

1,521,574 j y y Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination of an alternatively rotating and oscillating needle cylinder; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said ca e in unison; and means for automatically disconnecting said cage after the oscillating phase of the needle cylinder has begun, so as to suspend movement thereof in said oscillating phase.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of an alternatively rotating and oscillating needle cylinder; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cage in unison; and means for automatically disconnecting said cage to suspend movement thereof in the oscillating phase of the needle cylinder, and for reconnecting it for the rotary hase of said needle cylinder before the eginning of said rotary phase.

3. In a knittin machine, the combination of an alternative y rotating and oscillating needle cylindertravelling at a lower maximum rate in its oscillating phase than normally in its rotating phase; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cage in unison; and means for automatically disconnecting and reconnecting said cage, to suspend movement thereof, both during the phase of slow movement of the needle cylinder.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of an alternatively rotating and oscillating needle cylinder; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cage in unison; and means for automatically disconnecting said cage, to suspend movement thereof in the oscillating phase of the needle cylinder, when the cage is substantially at rest just after the beginning of said oscillating phase.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination of an alternatively rotating and oscillating needle cylinder; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cage in unison; and means for automatically disconnecting said cage to suspend movement thereof in the oscillating base of the needle cylinder, and reconnecting it for the rotary phase of said cylinder when the cage is substantially at rest before the resumption of said rotary hase.

6. In a knittln machine, the combination of an alternative y rotating and oscillating needle cylinder; a fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cage in unison; andvmeans for automatically disconnecting said cage, to suspend movement thereofm the oscillating phase of the needle cylinder, when the cage is substantially at rest just after the beginning of said oscillating phase, and for reconnecting said cage for the rotary phase of said needle cylinder when the cage is substantialiy at rest just before the resumption of sai rotary phase. w

7. In a knittin machine, the combination with an alternatlvely rotating and oscillats ing needle cylinder, a fabric-receiving cage,

and means for actuating said needle cyl' inder and cage in unison; of a member shiftable one way or another to change the motion of said needle cylinder-from rotary to oscillatory and vice versa; and means car-- ried by said member for disconnecting and reconnecting said cage to suspend movement thereof in the oscillating phase of saidneedle cylinden i '8. In a knittin machine, the combination with an alternatlvely rotating and oscillating needle cylinder, a fabric-receiving cage, means for actuating said needle cylinder and said cagein unison, and a pattern mechanism; of means for changing the motion of said needle cylinder from rotary to oscillatory and vice-versa controlled by said pattern mechanism; means actuated by said motion-changing means for disconnecting and reconnecting said cage, to suspend movement thereof in the oscillatin phase of said needle cylinder; a'nTiTieans or controlling the action of said disconnecting and reconnecting means independently --ac,liuate(l by said pattern-mechanism.

9. In a. knittin machine, the combination with an alternatively rotating and oscillatmg needle cylinder, a fabric-receiving cage, means for actuating said needle cylinder and aid cage in unison, and a pattern mechanism; of means for changing the motion of said needle cylinder from rotary to oscillatory and vice-versa actuated by said pattern mechanism; means tor disconnecting and reconnecting said ca e, to suspend movement thereof in the oscillating phase of said needle cylinder; and means'actu'ated by said pattern-mechanism independently and in advance of said .motion-changing means for controlling the action of said disconnecting and reconnecting means.

10. In a knittm' machine, the combination of an alternatively rotating and oscil-- lating needle cylinder; 0. fabric-receiving cage; means for actuating said needle cy1-- inder and said cage in unison, including an automatic latch mechanism for connect ing the cage with its driving element; and cam means adjacent the path of movement of said latch mechanism cooperating therewith to cause disconnection and reconnection thereof,- and thereby temporarily sus-' pend movement of the cage.

11. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder means for rotating and for oscillating said needle cylinder,

including a clutch, a clutch lever for shifting said clutch, and attern control mechanism for shifting said lever;,a fabric-supporting cage; means for rotating said fabric-supporting cage by operative connection with the needle cylinder; means for disconnecting said cage from the needle cylinder; and means, operated by the pattern control mechainsm prior to the shifting of the clutch to effect rotation of the needle cylinder, for connecting the fabric-supporting cage to the needle cylinder.

- 12. In a knitting machine, the combina-- tion of a needle cylinder; means for rotating and for oscillating said needle cylinder, including a clutch, a clutch lever for shifting said clutch, and pattern control mechanism -fabric-supporting cage by operative for shifting said lever; a fabric-supporting cage; means for rotating said fabric-supporting cage by operative connection with the needle cylinder; means, operated by said clutch shifting lever, for disconnecting said cage from said cylinder; and means, operated by said pattern control mechanism prior to the movement of the clutch shift ing lever to effect rotation of the cylinder, to permit the connection of the cage to its rotating means.

13. In, a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder; means for r0- tating and for oscillating said needle cylinv der, including a clutch, a clutch lever for shifting said clutch, and pattern control mechanism for shifting said lever; a fabricsupporting cage; means for rotating said connection with the needle cylinder; a cam plate shiftable in one direction by said clutch shifting lever and in another direction by said pattern control mechanism;

and devices co-operative with said cam plate to disconnect the cage from its rotating means, and to permit said cage to be connected to it's rotating means.

14. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder; means for rotating and for oscillating said needle cylinder, including a clutch, a clutch lever for shifting said clutch, and pattern control mechanism for shifting said lover; a fabric-supporting cage; means for rotating said fabric supporting cage by operative connection with the needle cylinder; a cam plate pivotally supported by said clutch shifting lever; means'operated by the pattern control mechanism for moving said cam plate vertically, said cam plate operating to disconnect the cage from its rotating means when in raised position and shifted by the clutch lever to a point adjacent the cage, said cam plate also operating, when depressed by the pattern control mechanism, to permit the cage to be connected to its rotating means.

15. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder; means for rotating and for oscillating said needle cylinder, in-

eluding a clutch, a clutch lever for shifting said clutch, and, pattern control mechanism for shifting said lever; a fabric-supporting cage; means for rotating said fabric-supporting cage by operative connection with the needle cylinder; a cam plate for connecting said cage to its rotating mechanism and disconnecting it therefrom, and devices for operating said cam plate from the pattern control mechanism, in depressing the latter to effect the connection of the cage to its rotating means prior to the operation of the clutch lever to cause rotation of the cylinder.

16. In a knitting machine, the co1nbination of a needle cylinder; means for rotating and for oscillating said cylinder, in eluding a clutch; a clutch lever for shifting said clutch; a depending pin carried by said cylinder; a fabric-supporting cage beneath said cylinder; aspring plate having a laterally projecting end formed with a recess adapted to engage said. pin for connecting said cage to the said cylinder; a device for shifting said plate for disconnecting the same from said cylinder; and a controlling cam plate for operating said device, said cam plate being moved by the clutch shil'ting lever intoposition for engaging said device to release the cage from the cylinder such engagement occurring while said cylinder is on its phase of oscillating movement.

17. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder; means for rotating and for oscillating said cylinder, including a clutch; a clutch lever for shifting said clutch; a depending pincarricd by said cylinder; a fabric-supporting cage beneath said cylinder; a spring plate having a laterally projecting end formed with a recess adapted'to engage said pin for connecting said cage to the said cylnider; a device for shifting said plate for disconnecting same from said cylinder: a controlling cam plate for operating said device. said cam plate being moved by the clutclrshil'ling lever into position for engaging said device to release the cage from the cylinder while said cylinder is on its phase of oscillating movements; and pattern control ling means for moving said controlling cam plate for releasing said device to permit the cage to be connected with the cylinder while said cylinder is on its phase of oscillating movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Philadelphia, Pennsyl 'ania, this third day of April, 1918.

ALBERT M, PIGTCOY.

Witnesses:

I JAMns H. BELL,

E. L. FULLnn'roN.

llo

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